Chain link and splice



(No Model.)

A. HUNTER & A. D. STANSBURY. CHAIN LINK AND SPLICE.

Patented July 22,1890.

WI TJV' ESSES UNITED TATES PATENT- OF ICE.

ALBERT HUNTER AND ALFRED D. STANSBURY, OF COLLIERS, \VES'F VIRGINIA.

CHAIN LINK AND SPLICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,622, dated July 22, 1890.

Application filed May 1, 1890. Serial No. 350,132. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ALBERT HUNTER and ALFRED D. STANSBURY, citizens of the United States, residing at Colliers, in the county of Brooke and State of Vest Virginia, have i11- vented a certain new and useful Improvement in Chain Links and Splices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The main object of this invention is to provide a device for use in connection with the safety-chains of railway-cars for coupling the cars when the draw-heads are broken, and which may be used also even though the chains be broken.

The invention'consists of a link and detachable slotted blocks to be applied to the link to receive the chains, all as we will proceed now more particularly to set forth and finally claim.

I11 the accompanying drawings, illustrating our invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a top plan view, Fig. 2 abottom plan View, Fig. 3 a cross-section, and Fig. 4 a longitudinal section, illustrating one form of our invention. Fig. 5 is a top plan View, Fig. 6 a bottom plan View, and Fig. 7 a cross-section, illustrating a modification.

The link a may be of ordinary construction and adapted to receive the coupling-pins commonly used in that class of car-couplings. In order to adapt this link to receive one or more safety-chains when the draw-heads become damaged, we provide detachable slotted blocks b, which are adapted to be inserted in the link and to receive the ordinary safetychains 0, substantially in the manner indicated in Fig. 4:. These blocks are here shown of two forms. In the first form each block is provided with a slot cl, extending from its outer end inwardly and terminating in a laterally-extended recess e on its upper side. The forward end of the block and on the under side we also provide with a recess f. The lower edges of the block are curved at g to conform to the curvature of the link. The block is made of a thickness sufficient to extend considerably below the axial line of the serted in that end of the link next to the broken draw-head and the coupling completed, it being understood that the other end of the link is attached by the ordinary pin to the draw-head of the other car. here both draw-heads are damaged, then blocks b will lp e used in both ends of the link, as shown in As already indicated, the upper link of the inserted chain will rest in the recess 6, while the recess f will receive the third from the end link, and thus the chain will have bearings in the block and be prevented from becoming displaced, and the block will find secure lodgment in the link.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, instead of making the slots extend from the outer ends of the blocks inwardly, we may arrange said slots to extend from the inner ends toward the outer ends, and in order to enable the third link of the chain to bindagainst the block in this modified form the said block may be chamfered or cut away at h on its lower surface, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Very obviously the pull on the chain or chains will keep the block or blocks in position in the linl The blocks may be made for use in connection with the ordinary link, or a special link may be devised, as may be necessary. The link becomes not only such in fact, but also :1 splice for connecting broken chains.

\Vhat we claim is- 1. A coupling device comprising a longitudinally-slotted block adapted to be applied to a link and to receive the chain, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a coupling device, a link and a block having its lower edges beveled and shaped to be inserted in the opening in the link, and

provided with a longitudinal slot to receive In testimony whereof we have hereunto set the chain, substantially as and for the purour hands this 28th day of April, A. D. 1890. pose described.-

3. A coupling device comprising a link and ALBERT HUNTER. 5 ablock adapted to be inserted in the opening A. D. STANSBUBY.

in said link and provided with a longitudinal slot, an end recess or cavity extending later- WVitnesses: ally from said slot on its upper side, the said N. A. LEE, block being also recessed 011 its under side, J. MOMORTON.

1 o substantially as and for the purpose described. 

